The present invention relates to a universal docking station, and particularly to a docking station with an interlocking mechanism for assembling upper and lower shells together.
With the development of computer technology, mobile computers, especially notebook computers, are becoming increasing popular. Connectors for transferring signals or power between a computer and exterior devices, such as a printer, a keyboard and a monitor, are commonly assembled within an enclosure of the computer. The connectors occupy a significant amount of space within the computer thereby increasing the volume thereof. To reduce the volume of the computer, especially a notebook computer, the connectors are commonly disposed outside of the computer and concentrated in a docking station. The docking station connects the computer and the exterior devices by a small number of high-density cables and corresponding connectors.
Related invention is disclosed in Taiwan Patent Application No. 87301097. Referring to FIG. 1, ports 12 are provided in a connecting section of upper and lower shells 10, 11 of a conventional docking station 1. During insertion/withdrawal between a cable end connector and the docking connector, additional force will be exposed to one of the upper and lower shells. After a period time of usage, a gap will be generated between the junction of the upper and lower shells. In addition, the quality of the signal transmission will be negatively effected as the EMI shield provided by the upper and lower shells is broken.